Trout in the Classroom

Trout in the Classroom (TIC) is an environmental education program that was started over 20 years ago in which students raise trout from eggs to fry, monitor tank water quality, engage in stream habitat study, and learn to appreciate water resources as a means to foster a conservation ethic. BRDC provides the supplies, education and support for this program to teachers and students from tank set-up to fingerling release.

The program begins in October with tank set-up and the life cycle of our native brook trout. In creating a cold water habitat within a 55 gallon tank, the students learn aquaculture through rigorous water testing and the proper balance of bacteria and nutrients. Through the winter, the eggs that are delivered in November transform from alevin to fry. By spring, they have become fingerling trout. May sends us to the stream for habitat study and the release of those trout.

Release day is a big deal for students as they set free nearly 100 tiny brook trout after watching and caring for them over the span of an entire school year. This program emphasizes the importance of our watershed and our mission to inspire stewardship in our youth. Congratulations to Ms. Tignor’s 7th grade Explorer class for a job well done!

School of Fish

As the school year wraps up, the student's hard work as part of the Trout in the Classroom program is paying off.

Students from Carroll County, Piney Creek in Alleghany County and Grayson Highlands School reared brook trout fingerlings from eggs for the last 4 months.  Now the students get to feel the pride of releasing the young trout into local streams.  

With an emphasis of connecting students to the cold water streams of Virginia, the program outlines the benefits of healthy native brook trout habitat.  The partnership between Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fish (VDGIF), local schools and Blue Ridge Discovery Center (BRDC) brings together all of the pieces to make the program a success.  The VDGIF supply the trout eggs and approve the release locations.  The schools provide classroom curricula surrounding the care and monitoring of the tank and the trout.  BRDC provides the technical expertise to setup the tank and to raise the fish as well as leading a hands-on stream ecology program during the release of the trout.  

Most importantly, the students bring their curiosity and enthusiasm to discover not just what makes great trout habitat, but also the pride that comes with being a part of the Trout in the Classroom program.

Impromtu Fly Fishing Camp!

At the request of a couple of campers from a previous camp we put together another Fly Fishing Camp to end the summer. Shortened by a day, it became an action packed three day initiation by fire. On the ride to camp we all agreed to treat this as an intensive course rather than the typical shenanigans of a summer camp. The result was one seriously focused group of kids.

We began the camp by squirming into wetsuits to snorkel the cold waters of Fox Creek. Learning to fish from the perspective of a fish can really change the way one approaches the hobby. We all lined up in our super hero outfits and crawled up the creek, imagination immersed in the underwater world. Along the way we observed the reds of big mouth chubs, hog suckers nestled in the substrate, darters in the riffles, and sculpin peaking their heads out between rocks. We saw white suckers, red-eyes, rainbow trout, brown trout and shiners.  The most exciting part was a small shady run below a set of rapids where a variety of species darted about the water currents. Swimming across a deep pool we spooked up two 18" rainbow trout to the excitement of the inner fisherman in us all.  

After some field casting lessons and sustenance we headed to the farm ponds for experience on how to set the hook, land and release the fish. As we got on the water heavy bands of rain crossed over us. Although the kids didn't mind one iota, the fish shut down. Once the rain passed the bluegill and largemouth bass returned as hungry as ever. One massive bass in particular was relentless with bluegill that we retrieved. With the fishing biting, we stayed until the light faded away. Only the promise of s'mores took them off the water. After a brief journaling session the camp went silent for the night. 

The kids awoke at 6:30am and immediately went to the fly tying desk while breakfast sizzled on the grill. With a long day ahead on the river, we needed some fresh ammo for the trip. Everyone tied their best version of a leggy popper designed to be a cross between a dragonfly, frog and a minnow. This big buggy creature is a classic "terrestrial" used for smallmouth on the New River during the heat of summer.

While we ferried the raft trailers downriver the kids got a lesson in casting in moving water. Jane's first cast produced a smallmouth! The pride that she had in catching a fish with a fly she had tied was priceless. Down the river we headed, with the kids learning the ins and outs of casting from a raft, including not casting over the boat, not casting simultaneously and not trying to be Brad Pitt with twenty false casts! The day was hot and the fishing was slow but the fishermen were determined! Ultimately they brought four fish to the boat but missed a dozen more. 

To cool off from the hot day we leaped into the swimming hole, again and again and again until our stomachs growled for dinner. Upon returning to camp out came the headlamps and bobbins to tie flies for the next day's adventure. They learned a streamer pattern, a never sink dry fly and a giant stonefly. 

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The next morning the kids were up knocking on the door of the counselors tent ready to keep tying! After breakfast we had a relay contest to learn the life cycles of three major families of aquatic insects that trout eat: mayflies, stoneflies and caddisflies. 

With a bit of rain from the previous night Fox Creek was primed for chucking streamers so we headed to the house pool to try our hand at those 18" rainbows. After each kid took a shot, the counselors each tried their hand but all struck out so we moped back to camp and packed away the western style gear. 

After a quick lesson on Tenkara Fly Fishing we packed the cruiser and headed up the mountain to the high elevation plunge pools of Wilson Creek. The kids tied on their never-sink caddis flies and practiced the art of stealth fly fishing. A series of missed strikes, tree snags and tangles ensued before they landed a native southern Appalachian brook trout and a wild rainbow trout! The brookie in its spawning colors was identified as "the most beautiful fish in the world". Their pride soared in the success of their tiny creations as fish after fish mistook it for the real mccoy. Navigating the boulder filled creek proved to be as entertaining as fly casting and the kids took some time to marvel in the unique landscape and continuous white noise of the plunge pools. 

The camp finished with an ice cream sundae bar provided by Charlotte Hanes at the day camp site. After gorging our taste buds we had a little time to spare so we got out the seine and surveyed Saddle Creek for aquatic macroinvertebrates. In the net we saw a fish version of a sundae bar - stoneflies, hellgrammites, caddisflies, mayflies, midges, crayfish and minnows... 

Upon graduation of the beginners course these kids were ready for the intermediate level but they will have to wait till summer to enroll! 

Fishbugs and Snorkeling with the Scout Troop #5

Alex Benish leading the way!

A small pack from Boy Scout Troop #5 hauled their swimming trunks, snorkels and bug nets down to Big Wilson Creek in search of Southern Appalachain Brook Trout. Upon arriving we found a tea-colored tannin stained creek. Not to be deterred, the scouts geared up and entered the 62 degree water without hesitation. Although visibility was less than an arms length, the boys quickly found a pod of trout lurking in the rocks on the bottom of the big hole. The first snorkeling attempt resulted in success! We can't wait to get back when the water is crystal clear!

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Trout in the Classroom

In 2014 we received generous support from Grayson National Bank to expand the participation in Trout Unlimited's Trout in the Classroom program. Their support allowed us to install two more tanks: one in Mrs. Murphy's 4th grade class at Piney Creek Elementary and one at Mr. Horton's Galax High School Ag class, for a total of three 50 gallon tanks including the one managed by Mrs. Perry's 7th grade class at Grayson Highlands. Each 50 gallon tank included a chiller/pump, an oxygenator, and a multi-tiered filtration system to recreate ideal brook trout raising conditions.  

The Trout in the Classroom program got off to a slow start last fall. After getting all of the equipment up in running in November, we had to wait... and wait... With all of the time to wait, the students created fintastic background artwork to raise the fish in. The "habitats" were complete with hand drawn rocks, aquatic plants, along with friendly and predatory fish.  

We specifically wanted brook trout eggs, not rainbow or brown trout. The brook trout eggs from Marion Fish Hatchery ended up being a month and a half behind schedule, arriving after the winter break. When they finally did arrive they were hatching as we put them in the tanks!

Over the course of the spring the students diligently tracked the water quality, fed the fish and cleaned the tanks. The eggs hatched to alevin and then grew into fry and finally one inch fingerlings! All three classes did a fintastic job managing the tanks, but the difficulties of raising a high mountain cold water fish in the classroom proved too much. All three tanks had catostrophic collapses in April, teaching the kids a hard life lesson. Luckily the Marion Fish Hatchery came to the rescue and supplied each of the devastated classes with new fingerling brook trout!

After feeding the fish for three weeks, Mrs. Murphy's 4th grade class released their young into Potato Creek a few miles from the school on April 27th. Twenty-three very well behaved and enthusiastic students lined up along the creek to watch their trout swim off in to small pool beside a rock ledge. We then swapped shoes for waders and conducted a macro-invertabrate survey in the streams riffles. Each student learned to use a dichotomous key to identify the insect larvae. We ended up with just enough time for each student to get in the water, no doubt the highlight of any 4th grader's day!

Mr. Horton's class at Galax High School took a more scientific approach, completing the insect survey and stream assessment metrics last fall and then again this spring to determine suitability of the habitat for brook trout. As diligent as they were in caring for the fish they had a second tank collapse and lost all of the fish. On the scheduled release day we picked up another 75 brook trout fingerlings from the hatchery and took them straight to the creek. Unfortunately the trip was too long and we once again we had a die-off, losing 25% of the fish. The rest were successfully released into the stream! Mr. Horton plans on continuing the project in hopes of establishing a brook trout population in the stream in the years to come. Many lessons learned will be applied to next year's tank.

Being short on available time, Mrs. Perry's 7th grade class at Grayson Highlands School released 50 brook trout into Wallen's Creek behind their school last Friday afternoon, May 15th. After a year of ups and downs the students were excited to send the fish into the wild. Hopefully these fish thrive in the water as much as the kids did!

Galax Elementary Enrichment: Fly Fishing

During the week of February 9th, BRDC participated in the Galax Elementary Enrichment Week. This was a fantastic offering by the Galax Public School System where students got to take in-depth courses on particular subjects. One of the programs we offered was all about fly fishing. 32 enthusiastic second and fourth graders signed up for our five day, 15-hour fly fishing course.

We began the program by introducing them to the concept of journalling and diagramming while handing out their personal journals for the week. They split into groups to research the Blue Ridge Mountains and the essence of fly fishing in a Self Organized Learning Environment (S.O.L.E). After they finished their collaborative poster boards they presented their findings to the rest of the class. The students proved to be very resourceful in their research but shy in their presentations. Although some of the students knew each other, most had never met being that they were from different grades. By the end of the day a sense of camaraderie had developed with the students and new friendships were forming.

The second day of the course was dedicated to teaching them all about the equipment and techniques of fly fishing in preparation for a field trip to the creek the next day. The students braved the cold February wind as we taught them a basic fly cast through the National Fishing in the Schools method. They learned how to put their rods together, string them up, and execute the "11 steps to a basic fly cast".  At the end of the day, we finished in a circle, telling rounds of completely honest fish stories!

Wednesday was the only day of the week forecasted for sunshine, so we dedicated that day to the outdoors and went fishing! We were blessed with a wind-free, sunny and 50 degree day in early February! The kids had come prepared for arctic weather but where shedding layers as soon as they stepped off the bus at Dannely Park. They spent the day swapping waders and casting flies into Chestnut Creek with a Tenkara fly rod. The ones who weren't fly fishing were picking through aquatic insects and identifying them under the microscope. Although no fish were caught (we used hookless flies) Volunteer, Lisa Benish was able to spot two sizable rainbow trout in the cold clear water. Of all of the great activities we did this week the one that I reflect on most fondly was watching the kids cast on the creek. Kids this age are a ball of energy and their focus is often measured in seconds, but when they put the waders on, stepped into the creek and began casting, their attention became singular and they each cast for twenty minutes straight without saying much other than "this is awesome".

On the fourth day the subject was bugs. To start the day the young fly fishermen got some energy out in the gym during an "aquatic macro-invertebrate relay" as part of the NFSP curriculum. They learned about the three most important types of trout food: Mayflies, Stoneflies and Caddisflies. The rest of the class was dedicated to patiently tying imitative flies with equipment generously loaned from Ernie Barker of Trout Unlimited. We set up vises and hooks for each student and they used feathers, chenille and thread to tie a "Wolly Bugger" and a "Griffith's Gnat".  This was a major challenge for this age group, but they stepped up and each student completed their flies for take home at the end of the course.

Our final day together was dedicated to competition! We took over the gymnasium and put the fly rods together. In pairs, the students learned to cast with "rod" hand and "line" hand. As their skills increased they casted for "Real Fake Fish" while learning about different sport fish species. We concluded with a casting competition where the students competed in pairs to hit the bull's eye target on ten sequential casts. At the end of the day the kids went home with their journals, chock-full of of the things they learned during the week.

I am amazed at how much these kids soaked up in five days and I hope that it made an impression on them for a lifetime.

Many thanks to Lisa Benish for her dedicated efforts for the program. Her enthusiasm for the sport of fly fishing is surpassed by none! Thanks to Ernie Barker! His loan of the fly tying equipment took the program to another level. Also many thanks to "Mr. Rob" and Mrs. Webb for their tireless efforts to make sure each kid got the most out of the program. A special thanks to Mike Floyd and Roald Kirby for assisting at the creek.

Trout in the Classroom: Grayson Highlands School

Over the past four months Mrs. Perry’s seventh grade life science students at Grayson Highlands School have been diligently raising native brook trout in their school lobby for all visitors to see.  This is part of a program called “Trout in the Classroom” and revolves around the students learning about the biology and ecology of one of the most iconic species of the Blue Ridge Mountains. 

In November of 2013 the VDIGF fish hatchery in Marion provided the school with over two hundred freshly fertilized eggs.  Transported on ice, the eggs were delivered to the students and their newly minted 55 gallon aquarium.  

With the assistance of Blue Ridge Discovery Center, the students set up the aquarium to replicate the natural environment of the brook trout. Recreating the pristine waters of the Mount Rogers watershed is quite the challenge. To accomplish this they outfitted the aquarium with a four-layer water filter, a powerful oxygenator, and a cooling unit to keep the water temperature at a frigid 51 degrees Fahrenheit.  To make their trout feel at home the students painted a mural of underwater habitat and taped it to three sides of the aquarium. They also collected logs and stones from the brook behind the school to create an aquarium substrate and establish a natural cleansing cycle with healthy bacteria. 

Within two weeks of their arrival the eggs started to hatch, growing tails and beady eyes.  As tiny “Alevin” the brook trout still fed on their egg yolks and stayed relatively inactive. During this stage of development, the students were able to observe the trout under microscopes and watch the tiny two chamber heart circulate blood throughout the body. With a watchful eye from the school custodians, the fragile trout amazingly survived the winter break and a series of school closings until the students returned for the spring semester. 

Now that the brook trout developed into “fry” the students have learned the rocky road of managing an aquarium.  Each day they test the water for high levels of ammonia, nitrites and nitrates then check the water pH balance and temperature for inconsistencies while logging it all in a project notebook.  They make sure they feed the hungry brook trout enough food but not too much!  To date, the students have managed to raise over 100 fingerling brook trout in their 55 gallon tank.

With a little luck and a lot of hard work, this spring the students will be rewarded with a trip to a local trout stream to release their prized young into the wild! While at the stream the students will don waders and participate in another Blue Ridge Discovery Center program called “Project Fishbugs” where they will learn all about the complex context that sustains brook trout in our wild mountain streams.

“Trout in the Classroom” (A Trout Unlimited Program), was provided by Blue Ridge Discovery Center with generous support from The Harris Francis Block Foundation, Trout Unlimited and Grayson National Bank.

If you would like to see Trout in the Classroom in your school, please contact Blue Ridge Discovery Center to express your support this program: info@blueridgediscoverycenter.org

BRDC visits the Matthews Living History Farm Museum!

Click here for a gallery of the day's activities:

GALLERY

Click here for a list of butterflies seen at the event:

BUTTERFLIES

Through the great energy and support of Sandy Troth, and the Matthews Farm Museum staff, BRDC was proud to explore in the outdoors this last Saturday on those grounds. There is lots to discover in the fields and creek around the farm, and the setting was perfect. We also had the pleasure of sharing the event with Chestnut Creek School of the Arts, whose two volunteers , set up shop and fit right into our hands-on creative approach to learning in the outdoors. Local BRDC volunteers included Bob and Bill Perkins, Susan, Terry and Claire Gleason, Allen Boynton and Gale Kuebler, Jesse Pope, Jane Floyd, Michelle Pridgeon, Deborah Shell, and Laura Belleville. The farm staff also set up a creative blue bird house adventure, hosted by David Hauslohner, Sandy Troth and Sydney Rose Fant.

Among the activities were two stations set up by Jesse, chief naturalist for Grandfather Mountain; one consisting of highly technical gadgetry that read air temps at various altitudes, and the other a collection of bones, skins and feathers of a variety of critters, including squirrel, beaver, bat, sharp shinned hawk, and much more.

Allen and Gale helped with the critter station. Bob and Bill led a series of field trips concentrating on butterflies (butterfly images here-in by B. Perkins) and wildflower/insect associations.

Terry led field trips to the creek, with nets to gather and observe living aquatic creatures. Jane, Michelle and Deborah operated the flower press, concentrating on Queen Anne's Lace, complete with a live black swallowtail butterfly caterpillar, that feeds on Queen Anne's Lace. Kids were invited to create collages of the lace with butterfly printouts, and decorate as whim directed. Devin managed two stations, one devoted to deep local history defined by a collection of prehistoric projectile points, the other to brook trout and its ecology. Both of these stations had creative hands-on elements designed to draw participants closer to the moment, and were a big hit.

Claire brought her famous corn snake for another tiring day of being handled, along with a series of books on snakes and snakes as pets. Scott participated at all tables, accompanied a field trip, and kept attention on those coming and going...in other words, attempted to manage the event.

During the day we had two surprise guests. Chris Brooke, reporter from the Galax Gazette arrived late in the day with his wife, Beth, to take in the festivities including the last field trip. And Jack Pitcher, well known for his Star Watch contribution to a number of newspapers and journals, arrived with a gift of ginkgo trees and enthusiastic support. We hosted kids, accompanied by parents, friends and in some cases, grandparents, and everyone seemed genuinely captivated.

-Scott Jackson-Ricketts

Photographs by Scott Jackson-Ricketts, Robert Perkins, and Devin Floyd